Open front refrigerator having condensation preventing means



March 30, 1954 P. H. BRINKox-:TER

OPEN FRONT REFRIGERATOR HAVING CONDENSATION PREVENTING MEANS 5Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 21, 1951 GOGO WN INT..

Paul H. Brin/meter BY 88mm@ mmf ATTORNEY March 30, 1954 P. H. BRINKOETEROPEN FRONT REFRIGERATOR HAVING coNDENsATIoN PREVENTING MEANS 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 21, 1951 Pdu/ H,. Brin/maf BY tu-4 amgATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ml e Pau/H. an' /mefer P. H. BRINKOETER OPENFRONT REFRIGERATOR HAVING March 30, 1954 CONDENSATION PREVENTING MEANSFiled Aug. 2l, 1951 I' Patented Mar. 30, 1954 y UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE OPEN FRONT REFRIGERATOR HAVING CON- DEN SATION PREVENTING MEANSPaul H. Brinkoeter, San Antonio, Tex., assignor to Ed Friedrich, Inc.,.-San Antonio, Tex., a corporation of Texas y Application August 21, 1951,Serial No. 242,884

(Cl. (iz-$9.5)

claims. l

This invention relates to an improvement in open front refrigerators,and particularly to that type where the vegetables, meats, fruits andthe likev are maintained at the proper temperature by the circulation ofrefrigerated air.

The present invention consists in providing a ilue in communication withthe motor compartment for conducting warm air along the front of therefrigerator and directing the warm air against the thermo pane glasspanel and front panels of the refrigerator to eliminate and remove anymoisture or condensate that may co1- lect on the panels.

A. further feature is to evaporate the moisture from the refrigerator byconducting it to a receptacle in the motor compartment which has afinned condenser mounted therein, so that air drawn into and over thecondenser, motor and compressor, will cause an evaporation of themoisture or water in the pan. This is further accomplished by the finnedhot condenser which due to the direct contact with the water by thecoils and fins thereof will evaporate the moisture, and also increasethe efficiency of the condenser.

The `invention consists of certain novel features of construction andcombinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and set forthin the claims, Y

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the refrigerator, withsome parts broken away to show the food compartment and motorcompartment;

Figure 2 is a detail view in perspective illustrating the warm air ductand flue leading from motor compartment;

Figure 3 is a detail view in cross-section showing position oflongitudinal air duct with respect to front panel of refrigerator;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view in top plan of air duct and glasspanel;

Figure 5 is a detail view-in section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

The drawings disclose an open front food display case, wherein I0represents the back wall and Ii the front wall. As vshown in Figure 1,`a food compartment I2 is provided between the front and back walls, andbeneath the food compartment and at one end of the display case orrefrigeratorl is a motor compartment I3, 4the mo- 2 tor compartmentbeing separated from the food compartment I2 by an insulated ceiling orpartition I4. The motor compartment ispreferably open at vboth ends, andlocated therein is a pan or base I5 which is integrally connected to acompressor I3. The pan or base I5 supports a finned coil condenser Iland a receiver I8 for receiving the liquid refrigerant from thecondenser. An electric motor I9 is resiliently supported in the pan l5by a platform 2B above the bottom of the pan, and is suitably connectedto the compressor I6 for operating the same. A suction fan 22 ismounted'on the motor shaft 23 for drawing air through the condenser fromthe rear end of the motor compartment I3. The pan I5 receives thecondensate and water from the refrigerating coils 25 of the refrigeratorby a drain pipe 26. The pan I5 may rest directly on the floor of theroom, or on slides or 'skids 34 so that the motor, compressor condenserunit may slide in and out of the motor compartment for servicing.

The front wall II of the refrigerator has a panel 28 connected'theretoand in spaced relation by means of fastening such as screws 29 toprovide a hot or warm air flue 30, and is comparable in length to thefront opening of the motor compartment. The vlower edge of the panel 28extends below the ceiling or partition I4 and is provided with aninwardly extending flange 3| for directing the air from the motorcompartment into the flue 3U. Supported beneath the panel 28 and acrossthe front opening of the motor compartment is a perforated plate orgrill 33 which will allow warm air to be discharged into the room. Aninturned flange 35 is provided along the upper edge of the grill 33 fordirecting warm air of the motor compartment I3 to the ue 30. Y

Mounted on the upper surface of the front wall II is a multi-thermo-paneglass panel 36 which extends the length of the front wall. Disposed inspaced relation to the front wall II is a deector plate 31 and isconnected thereto by screws 38 and bolts 39. This plate 31 extendslengthwise of the glass panel 36 and the upper portion is bent or curvedtoward the panel 36, as at 40, and is provided with a down turned flange4I. The plate 31 is spaced above the ilue panel 28, and this space formsa passage 42 for the warm air. The plate 37 and, flue panel 28 are insubstantial vertical alignment, and as the plate 31 is spaced from thefront wall the warm air flue 30 is continued and discharges against theglass pane 36.

A channel shaped front rail 44 extends lengthwise of the refrigeratorand forms a warm air duct 45, which has communication with the flue 3Gby the passage 42. The rail 44 is provided with inturned flanges 43 and41 along the edges thereof, and the upper flange 43 has engagement withthe outer surface of the flange 4l of the plate 3i for supporting therail 44 in position. The lower inturned flange 4l has engagement withthe ilue panel 28, and front panels 53 of the :front wall beyond themotor compartment. The flue panel 23 and front panel 50 of therefrigerator are provided adjacent their upper edges with dimples orbulges 52, with which the lower flange 4l of the rail 44 engage toprovide outletpassages 48 between the panels and rail for the warm airto escape and be directed downwardly on the panels to remove and collectany condensate or moisture on the panels.

A corrugation strip of metal 53 is positioned between the glass panel 33and the llanges 4i and 45 of the plate 3l' and rail 44 providingvertical passages 54 through which the warm air from flue 3U will beprojected against the glass panel to eliminate and remove any condensatefrom Ythe glass panel. A suitable rubber or other packing 55 is appliedto the exterior surface of the corrugated strip 53 and which engages theouter surface oi' the rail i4 to orm a seal therebetween.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in this system the moisture howsrom the refrigerator by drain pipe 23 into a pan l5 located within themotor compartment i3. The pan i5 is prei'- erably the base I`or thecompressor and the condenser il which is a iinned coll is supported inthe pan and the water surrounds it so that there is direct contact withthe nnned coils and the water. The refrigerant delivered to thecondenser is hot and thererore there will be an evaporation of the waterby the not condenser, and at the same time the -einciency or' thecondenser will be increased by cooling it with water evaporation. Thepan l5, motor I5, condenser j', and compressor Iii are as a unitremovable from the motor compartment, and can ne installed withoutplumbing and either placed on the hoor or skids 34.

During the operation` of compressor i6 the motor i5 will drive the fan22, and air will be drawn into the motor compartment and over the motor,compressor and condenser umts for cooling the unit, and at the same timeassisting in evaporating the water in the pan I5. ri'he air in passingover and through the unit will be warmed or heated and forced by the fanthrough the grill 33 and up through the flue 30 where it will bedischarged into the longitudinal air duct 45. The warm air in the duct45 will be distributed to the corrugated strip 53 and then directed overthe surface of the glass panel 33 to vremove any moisture or condensatethereon, likewise the air will be conducted through the passages 48,provided between the rail 44 and panel 28, and rail V44 and panels 53 bythe dimples 52 on the panel 23, so that any condensate on the panels 28and 50 will be evaporated.

' It will be observed that when bolt 39 is tightened by nut 43, it drawsplate 31 and rail 44 toward thermopane panel 36 and brings rubber pad 55against corrugated strip 53, which in turn i is tightened against glasspanel 36 and thereby holding all of these parts tightly to the case.

What I claim is:

1. A refrigerator comprising a food compartment and a motor compartment,said motor compartment having a compressor-condenser unit therein, saidfood compartment having a paneled front wall, a glass panel mounted onand extending lengthwise of said front wall, a longitudinal air ductmounted on said front wall and having communication with said glasspanel for directing air onto said glass panel', a nue panel supported inspaced relation to said front wall to provide a warm air uetherebetween, said flue having communication with said air duct and saidmotor compartment, means for drawing air over said unit of said motorcompartment for warming the air and delivering said warm air to said nueand air duct, and means for maintaining said air duct in spaced relationto said flue panel and said front wall panel for the passage of warm airfrom said air duct over said last mentioned panels.

2. A refrigerator comprising a food compartment and a motor compartment,a compressorcondenser unit in said motor compartment, said foodcompartment having a front wall, a glass panel mounted on said frontwall, a plate supported in spaced relation to the outer surface oi' saidfront wall and extending lengthwise of said front wall and glass panel,an air duct extending lengthwise of said front wall and supported bysaid plate, a strip carried by said plate provided with passages throughwhich air from said air duct is delivered onto said glass panel, a iiueon said outer surface of said front wall 'having communication with saidair duct and said motor compartment, means for Vdirecting air over saidunit for heating the air and delivering said heated air to said flue andair duct, and means for maintaining said air duct in spaced relation tothe outer suriaces of said front wall and ue to provide a passagetherebetween for delivering warm air over the outer surfaces o saidfront wall and flue. v

3. A refrigerator comprising a food lcompartment and a motorcompartment, said motor compartment having a compressor-condenser unittherein, said food compartment having a front wall, a thermo glass panelmounted on said front wall and extending lengthwise of said foodCompartment, a plate arranged in spaced relation to the outer surface ofsaid front wall to provide an `air passage along the lower outer surfaceof said glass panel, a longitudinal Aair duct supported by said plate, aflue for conducting warm air from said motor compartment to said airduct, and means for adjustably connecting said plate to said front wallfor drawing and retaining said plate and said air duct toward and inspaced relation to said glass panel.

4. A refrigerator comprising a food compartment and a motor compartment,said motor compartment having a compressor-condenser unit therein, saidfood compartment having a front wall, a thermo glass panel mounted onsaid front wall and extending lengthwise of said food compartment, aplate arranged in spaced relation to the outer surface of said frontwall to provide an air passage along the' lower outer surface of saidglass panel, a longitudinal air duct supported by said plate, acorrugated strip located adjacent said glass panel, packing interposedbetween said plate and said strip, a flue l for conducting warmA airfrom said motor compartment to said air duct, and means connecting saidplate to said front Wall for holding said air duct, packing and strip onsaid front wall.

5. A refrigerator comprising a food compartment having a front wall, aglass panel mounted on said front Wall and extending lengthwise of saidfood compartment, a plate mounted on said front Wall and arranged inspaced relation to said front wall and said glass panel, a channelshaped front rail supported by said plate and extending lengthwise ofsaid front Wall to provide a Warm air duct, a strip interposed betweensaid plate and said glass panel having a passage therethrough forconducting air from said air 6 duct to said glass panel, and meansconnected to said plate for urging said plate toward said front wall tohold said front rail air duct and said strip against said front wall.

PAUL H. BRINKOETER.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 10 2,462,705 Abeling Feb.22,1949 2,493,141 Henney Jan. 3, 19502,542,136 Hanson Feb. 20, 1951 2,558,997 Voelker July 3, 1951

